Janet Alaimo, and her 14-month-old daughter, Argentina, is taking part in the Bronx Making Strides walk in honor of her mother, Argentina Rivera, who died of breast cancer in 2011. (Viorel Florescu)

Bronx mom Argentina Rivera ignored the signs, so when doctors discovered she had breast cancer, it was too late to save her.

The Parkchester resident dedicated the last months of her life to urging women to get checked for the disease regularly. Since her death in February 2010 at age 68, her daughter has been determined to carry on her mother's mission.

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"She used to tell people: 'It's late for me because I didn't take the time,' " Janet Alaimo, 33, said. "She really became an advocate for early detection even though she herself didn't find it early enough."

Alaimo will lead a troop of 20 "Argie's Angels" along Orchard Beach in the Bronx for the third consecutive year to raise money for the American Cancer Society's Making Strides Against Breast Cancer walk. The first year they participated, her mother was too sick to walk, so the friends compiled a video of the day's events to show her.

Next month, the group members — who range in age from Alaimo's 14-month-old daughter, also named Argentina, to a 70-year-old family friend — hope to raise $2,000.

"My mom just loved life so much," Alaimo said. "And everybody she came into contact with, she was always showing them you have to live life for the day . . . because you don't know what's up the road."

Alaimo's mother became involved with the American Cancer Society after meeting a patient navigator at Bellevue Hospital who offered guidance about cancer support programs, including how to get a wig. As her health deteriorated, Alaimo says she started looking for ways to raise funds to give back to the organization that helped her family so much.

"I enjoyed Making Strides because of the awareness that it was bringing to others," she said.